A PERSONALITY AND PROFILE
OF
THE BULL TERRIER
by Lee Weston
     The Bull Terrier is known to the people that love this breed as the "Bullie".  The Bullie is the strongest of any terrier in the world. Pound for pound, the Bullie may be the most powerful dog ever bred.  This breed is not a dog for novices, or those who have never trained a dog in "classic" obedience before. By "classic" obedience, I mean by the book, socialization, training in classes and forming a bond with the dog, that he will obey without hesitation.
     The personality of the Bull Terrier is one of confidence, strength, courage and charisma.  He may not be a beauty queen, but he is handsome.  The Bullie is loyal to his master almost to a fault.  But, he does not do well with other dogs.  His attitude is "You have me, these others are irritating me, get rid of them".  He will have to be on a leash, and under firm control, for walks around the neighborhood.  If he is let outside on his own, it must be in an area where other dogs, small animals and children cannot get into.  Bullies seriously resent being teased, poked or pulled.
     With his master, the Bullie loves without reservation.  He is good natured, almost like a "kid in a dog suit."  He does have a dominant nature, so it does take experienced handling by the owner to keep this in check.  The dog was bred originally for pit fighting, do not think that as the owner you can use corporal punishment and be allowed to keep the hand that is striking the dog.  It is not vicious.  It fights back when attacked.  If involved in a fight, the Bullie will not be the first to break off .
     As with most breeds, the most important time for the development of Bull Terrier is when it is a puppy.  Please, for the sake of your family and neighbors, be careful who you purchase this breed of dog from.  Temperament and the soundness of the dog's body are equally important.  A product of a puppy mill will not be socialized sufficiently, and may have medical problems.  People who run puppy mills do not care about the breed of dog and the soundness of the genetics involved.  They care for the money only.  A breeder will let you see the mother and father, they will certify the dog for soundness of health.  A professional breeder will be associated with area clubs, who the potential new owner can contact for references.  And a professional breeder will have a contract with you, that if there are problems, the breeder can and will take the dog back.
     Temperament is hereditary, and should be a source of concern for any owner and/or breeder.  When a bad tempered dog is bred to a bad tempered female, the get will be bad tempered.  Unfortunately, good pups, if placed in a problematic family situation, can also develop temperament problems.  So temperament in any dog can be genetic or it can be environmental.  The Bullie can be a happy, outgoing, extroverted dog.  The well bred Bullie is great with kids (as long as they don't tease, poke or torment).
     The Bull Terrier should look square and compact, with a lot of bone and substantial muscle.  The Bullie should display correct proportions and have a rather elegant outline.  In movement, the Bullie should be rather jaunty, and confident.  When choosing the puppy, be sure to check the bite that it is not undershot.  The head should be egg shaped, sometimes when breeders are so concerned with the head piece, they don't pay attention to the bite.
     Some of the medical conditions that Bull Terriers are sometimes susceptible to are:
           a.) Bullies do not do well in cold or damp conditions.  They much prefer, actually thrive, in warmth and comfort.
           b.) The Bullie needs ample bedding to lie down on, or he will develop pressure sores.
           c.) All Bullies should under go a Baer Test for deafness.
           d.) Congenital heart condition in some blood lines
           e.) Familial kidney disease, again in some blood lines.

     For the majority of Bull Terriers, they are very healthy and can be expected to live an average life span of 14 to 15 years.
     There are a number of coat colors that a Bull Terrier may display, but for show dogs the blue and liver colors are highly undesirable.


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